Fear
by hazydaze
Summary: Rhys realises what he has to do. Rhys/Gwen implied Jack/Gwen.


A/N: The lyrics are Sarah MacLachlan's Fear.

A/N2: This was the first ficlet challenge given to me by Kate so this goes out to her.

_They say temptation will destroy our love,_

_The never ending hunger,_

_But I fear I have nothing to give,_

Rhys sat quietly, his mind racing a mile a minute. Gwen said she'd be home at midnight. It was 2 o'clock now. Ever since he had found out about her life, it seemed to get even easier for Gwen not to come home at night, because now she didn't have to lie about where she had been. She had been at work, at Torchwood, with Jack. Captain bloody Jack Harkness.

Touching his mouth in a nervous gesture, Rhys looked at the phone and thought about picking it up. His hand reached out but his mind mentally slapped him back. Don't, it told him. It would just drive her further away. Further away? She'd have to be here to get further away.

Rhys recalled when he had met Jack, getting up in his face over his treatment of him. Jack had just assumed that Rhys would screw things up, back down and go away with a tail between his legs. No, it would be like that, because Rhys knew the moment he backed down would be the moment he lost Gwen. For years he had loved her and admired her. What did this Jack have that Rhys didn't? A big gun and offerings of an other worldly nature. He was the ultimate seduction to someone who had lived their life in…Cardiff. Completely uninteresting Cardiff.

Is it me who is completely uninteresting? Rhys questioned as he continued to ponder the pros and cons of calling Gwen. He could call her in the middle of something and get her killed. He feared that now. But only he didn't because he knew Jack would keep Gwen safe above all things. Rhys hated that he could do that. He hated that Jack could offer her the world and the comfort he could protect her from it.

So Rhys waited because he feared he could do nothing else.

_I have so much to lose in this lonely place_

_But I fear I have nothing to give,_

_Take all of it in our embrace,_

Gwen finally made an appearance around 4am, "Oh god love what you doing up?" She called as she saw Rhys shuffling in the kitchen.

"I thought I'd wait for you." He told her honestly. Gwen smiled but it faltered slightly at the end.

"You didn't have to do that." She said but she really told him, you shouldn't have.

Rhys feigned a smile, "Well I want to know you got home safe is all." He walked over and pressed a kiss to the top of Gwen's head. "You know how I worry is all."

"I know babe…but you'll be tired tomorrow. Go get some sleep. I'm fine." Gwen smiled. She obviously wanted to be alone with her thoughts. To Rhys it had been so long since he knew what Gwen was thinking. It had been so long since she had even come to him with her thoughts.

"Hey tomorrow I was wondering if I could pick you up from work I need to talk to Jack about something." Rhys told Gwen as he went to their room.

Gwen's head snapped up, "What?"

"Well there is some paper work from that…alien…I need Jack's help," Rhys put on a I-don't-want-to-do-this-face. But it was a lie, he wanted in. He needed in. "It won't take a second love."

"Well okay, I'll tell Jack you're coming by then" Gwen frowned. In the perfect world she would have said yes straight away and come to bed. But nowadays she had better things to think about. Things that weren't their relationship.

"Gwen…" He called.

"Hmm…?" She mumbled.

"I love you." Rhys said simply.

"Love you too babe." Gwen replied absently. The way she used to when she needed to placate him with a lie or she just didn't know what else to say.

_There is nothing I__'__d like better than to fall._

_But I fear I have nothing to give._

_I have so much to lose._

Rhys stood outside the Torchwood headquarters when Jack came out of the perception filter, all coat and hair. Rhys didn't turn to him but he didn't turn away. He was indifferent to him. Rhys liked it that way, he didn't need to acknowledge his relationship to Gwen and he didn't need to even care if Captain Jack Harkness existed.

"Funny place to do business…" Jack's thick American twang called. Another difference between the two men that could easily seduce Gwen. Jack's voice was low and foreign promising so much more than Rhys ever could.

"You know what shut up Jack," Rhys finally turned around to him, "I just want you to…"

"Look whatever this is…" Jack held out his hands in a friendly gesture.

"…for fuck's sake Jack. We both know why I'm here. I'm losing her." Rhys ran his fingers through his hair, "I'm losing her to you. I don't know what to do."

"Why…" Jack asked. Why was he telling the man who was essential his rival he was losing.

"Because…I love her and that means more than any relationship either of us has. It means I want her to be happy. Regardless." Rhys told him.

"You are a better man than me" Jack joked.

"I know and that's why when she finally comes to you, you going to take care of her and love her. Like I do." Rhys told him. He came here to say what he needed to say and he did. Now all he had to do was wait. Wait until that day came.

_But I fear I have nothing to give._

_I have so much to lose._


End file.
